The world's number one golfer, Scotty Scheffler, was interviewed before the British Open. His thoughts on his career surprised sports writers and went viral. What he had to say is a lesson that goes beyond golf; people in many lines of work should take it to heart.
Before I served in Congress, I was a reconstructive surgeon. I saw some medical colleagues devote their lives to their profession with long hours in the operating room and in their medical offices and hospitals--at the expense of their families. CEOs and business people may do the same in building their companies and in climbing to the top of the corporate ladder. However, because the demands of elective office are similar in many ways to those of professional golfers, politicians should pay particular heed to Scheffler’s musings on what is really important in life.
Normally, when professional golfers are interviewed before a tournament, the questions and answers are predictable. What shape do you think your game is in? What do you think about the course and its setup? What would it mean to win? Scheffler was coming off winning the PGA Championship and was the favorite to win what would be for him the third leg of golf’s “grand slam.” Golfers’ answers are usually technical, rarely introspective and philosophical. If anything, the complaint about Scheffler had been that his interviews were boring.
So when he gave a 5-minute introspective answer that few golfers, or for that matter other world-class athletes, have given, it became hot news. Scotty said that golf was not his “be all and end all.”
"It's great to be able to win tournaments and to accomplish the things I have in the game of golf? Yeah, it brings tears to my eyes just to think about because I’ve literally worked my entire life to be good at this sport. To have that kind of sense of accomplishment, I think, is a pretty cool feeling. To get to live out your dreams is very special, but at the end of the day, I’m not here to inspire the next generation of golfers. I’m not out here to inspire someone to be the best player in the world because what’s the point? This is not a fulfilling life. It’s fulfilling from the sense of accomplishment, but it’s not fulfilling from a sense of the deepest places of your heart.”
He added this about his family life:
"That’s why I talk about family being my priority because it really is. I’m blessed to be able to come out here and play golf but if my golf ever started affecting my home life or it ever affected the relationship I have with my wife or my son, that’s going to be the last day that I play out here for a living. This is not the be all and the end all. This is not the most important thing in my life. That’s why I wrestle with why is this so important to me? Because I’d much rather be a great father than I would be a great golfer. At the end of the day, that’s what’s most important to me.”
This attitude is grounded in Scheffler’s faith. Scheffler said after winning the 2024 Masters Tournament. “My buddies told me this morning my victory was secure on the cross. And that’s a pretty special feeling; to know that I’m secure forever, and it doesn’t matter if I win or lose this tournament. My identity is secure forever. I have been given a gift of this talent, and I use it for God’s glory.”
As he searched for purpose and meaning in his answers, Scotty said that as much as he wants to win, his faith and family are most important. Cynics might say that it is easier to say that winning isn’t as important when you are already immensely wealthy and have won four major tournaments. His family finances are secure for the rest of his life. Many professional golfers don’t have that luxury. Only a small percentage of players earn enough to be truly financially secure. Nevertheless, anyone who watches Scheffler’s interview will agree that his comments come from the heart.
Every PGA tournament is a high-pressure situation where if the player doesn’t make the cut, it might mean a financial loss for the week. Players are constantly under the media spotlight. They travel extensively and are away from home much of the year. Travel can be lonely, and players with children miss family time and events. An International Journal of Golf Science cites golfers facing anxiety, stress, and depression. Netflix’s series on professional golfers showed the stress. A year ago, PGA player Grayson Murray died by suicide. The stress isn’t just on the players but also on their families.
There are parallels between the lives of PGA Tour members and their families and the lives of those in elective office. Both receive constant attention from the public and media. Maintaining a sense of normalcy and privacy is hard. Families can feel pressure to project a certain image. Both tour members and politicians are away from home frequently. Both have constant demands on their time. The stress of political campaigns on the office holder is every bit as much as the stress of making the two-foot putt. One mistaken quote from either can cause trouble for both and cause distress for kids at school and at home.
Ronald Reagan’s daughter Patti Davis once wrote in the Washington Post, “Unfortunately, for political sons and daughters, the fear of how you will be perceived as you go about your life, as you pursue your dreams and goals, underlies everything. It’s a toxic way to live.” I suspect that Tiger Woods’ and Scotty Scheffler’s sons will find having famous dads a blessing, but also a burden, as politicians' children, too. Politicians and famous athletes face family pressures that Scheffler was alluding to.
Sometimes that pressure can lead to tragedies for the children. When I was in Congress, the sons of two members of my committee committed suicide, as did the son of Senator Gordon Smith. More recently, the son of U. S. Representative Jamie Raskin took his own life. A current U.S. Senator’s daughter recently cut her wrists. Sons of state office holders in Kentucky, South Carolina, and Virginia have committed suicide in the past few years.
The mental health problems in children of prominent politicians and celebrities are often linked to their parents’ work and the relentless attention that comes with public life. Children are turned into silent actors for family photo shoots or to make political points... or are seen running across the golf green to their triumphant dads.
The teenage years are times when kids can get into alcohol or drug problems and see it played out across newspaper headlines. Accidents involving children of politicians are newsworthy, as happened to the son of an Iowa governor. How hard is it for children to have parents not only involved in scandals, but to have that in national news, as Chelsea Clinton suffered through. This can leave permanent scarring, like that alluded to by Patti Reagan.
This is where having a balanced life and values like those of Scotty Scheffler can serve as an example for all of us. Winning isn’t everything. The joy of winning doesn’t last that long. Many Olympic champions experience months of letdown and depression after their greatest triumphs. Scotty’s words and the tribute he gave to his wife struck a chord with many and certainly struck a note with me. My public service was a positive experience for me and my family, thanks in large part to the extra work of my wife.
After losing a race for the U.S. Senate, I felt down until I realized that sometimes we work very hard and don’t always get what we wish for. However, that can turn out for the best if we have family, faith, and a purpose in helping others.
Greg Ganske, MD, is a retired reconstructive surgeon who cared for women with breast cancer, children with birth defects, farmers with hand injuries, and burn patients. He served Iowa in the U.S. Congress from 1995-2003.